Gesta seeks first title on Pacquiao-Marquez card

LAS VEGAS — Mercito Gesta believes his first title shot is more than preliminary match on the undercard of Saturday night’s fourth meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.

“It could be a preview,” Gesta joked earlier this week.

Like Pacquiao, Gesta is an aggressive, southpaw fighter who learned the trade in The Philippines.

And like Marquez, Gesta’s opponent, Miguel Vazquez, is a counter-puncher from Mexico.

Gesta, a resident of Spring Valley, will challenge Vazquez for the International Boxing Federated lightweight title in a 12-round fight an hour before the highly anticipated fourth match between Pacquiao and Marquez Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Gesta and Vazquez are expected to enter the ring at 9 p.m. on the HBO pay-per-view card.

This will be the first title fight for Gesta, whose rapid improvement has made the 25-year-old one of the hottest new names in boxing.

The only blemish on Gesta’s 27-fight professional record is a draw. And nine of his 14 career knockouts have come in his last 11 wins.

“Mercito is a naturally gifted fighter,” said Vince Parra, who trains Gesta. “Some experts think this is a huge step for Mercito. No one is picking Mercito to win. No one knows what we know.

“Mercito was ready for this fight two years ago. I was getting concerned that no one would fight him. We’re very confident. This fight could shoot Mercito into stardom.”

Perhaps the biggest problem facing Gesta Saturday night is the style of Vazquez, who is also 25 and owns a 32-3 record with 13 knockouts.

“He is very unorthodox,” said Gesta of his opponent. “He runs away. I plan to slow him down, cut off the ring and get inside and work the body when I can. I can’t let him stay on the move.”

Gesta, whose best weapons are a quick jab and a right hook, said there is no under-playing the importance of this fight in the 135-pounder’s career.

“Since I moved to San Diego (in 2007), I’ve been working toward this fight and telling people I met that it would be happening,” said Gesta. “Now it’s happening. I have to win.”

Unlike most boxers, Gesta, who is ranked as high as fifth among lightweights, never fought as an amateur. His only boxing experience is his 27 professional fights and countless rounds of sparring. Gesta’s background was as a Muay Thai fighter in The Philippines. Muay Thai is a kick boxing form of martial arts.

“Muay Thai is heavy on kicking and punching without the grabbing of MMA fighting,” said Gesta, who switched to boxing at the age of 16.

“A lot of kick boxers have to make major changes when they get into the boxing ring,” said Parra. “Mercito’s style didn’t have to be tweaked. His father had done a great job when Mercito made the switch.”

While climbing the ladder, Gesta fought four times in his adopted San Diego “home.” He’s been represented by Top Rank for the past year.

“Not many San Diegans have reached title fights since Danny Perez, Paul Vaden and Terry Norris, and that was more than a decade ago,” said Parra. “Mercito’s goal is to defend a title one day at Petco Park.”

As for Pacquiao and Marquez, the pair will be welterweights in their fourth meeting.

Pacquiao, 33, has a 54-4-2 record and weighed in Friday at the 147-pound maximum. Marquez, 39, is 54-6-1 and weighed in at 143 pounds. Pacquiao will be the aggressor Saturday night. Marquez is a counter puncher.

Pacquiao has won two of the first three meetings between the pair with the first fight ending as a draw.

They first met in 2004 as featherweights and fought to a draw although Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round. In 2008, Pacquiao won a split decision when both were junior lightweights. Pacquiao won a majority decision 13 months ago, although many ringside observers had Marquez winning.